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<DIV CLASS="navbar"><A HREF="http://vt100.net/"><IMG CLASS="button" SRC="vt100.net-logo.png" ALT="VT100.net" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="102"></A> VT330/VT340 Programmer Reference Manual Volume 2: Graphics Programming<TABLE WIDTH="100%">
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<TD ALIGN="LEFT">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="CENTER"><A HREF="contents.html">Contents</A></TD>
<TD ALIGN="RIGHT"><A HREF="chapter1.html">Chapter 1</A></TD>
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<H1 ID="S0">About This Manual</H1>
<P>This reference manual is for people with a knowledge of computer programming.
If you are a programmer, this manual provides the information you need
to program the graphics features of the VT330 or VT340 video terminal. This
manual is the second volume of a two-volume set. The first volume covers text
programming.</P>
<H2 ID="S0.1">Organization</H2>
<P>This manual is divided into four parts.</P>
<P><STRONG>Part 1, ReGIS Programming (Chapters 1 through 12)</STRONG><BR>
describes all the command and procedures for the ReGIS graphics protocol.
Each major ReGIS command is covered in a separate chapter.</P>
<P><STRONG>Part 2, 4010/4014 Mode (Chapter 13)</STRONG><BR>
describes how to set up your terminal to run 4010/4014 software.</P>
<P><STRONG>Part 3, Sixel Graphics (Chapter 14)</STRONG><BR>
describes the device control string you use to send sixel graphics to the
terminal.</P>
<P><STRONG>Part 4, Using Locator Devices and Printing Graphics (Chapters 15 and 16)</STRONG><BR>
describes (1) how to program the terminal for use with a mouse or graphics
tablet, and (2) how to specify the format for printing graphics from the
terminal.</P>
<H2 ID="S0.2">Screen Display for Graphics</H2>
<P>The terminal's monitor has a display area of 800 pixels horizontally &times; 480
pixels vertically. A <DFN>pixel</DFN> (picture element) is the smallest displayable unit on
the screen. A pixel is also the smallest part of an image you can define.</P>
<H3 ID="S0.2.1">The Bitmap</H3>
<P>Both the VT330 and VT340 use a bitmap to display graphics. The bitmap is
that part of the terminal's RAM used to store graphic images.</P>
<P>The VT330 uses a two-plane bitmap for its monochrome monitor. This means
each pixel is represented by a 2-bit code. A 2-bit code has four possible values,
so the VT330 can display up to four shades of gray at a time. There are 64
shades of gray available to draw graphic images.</P>
<P>The VT340 uses a four-plane bitmap for its color monitor. This means each
pixel is represented by a 4-bit code. A 4-bit code has 16 possible values, so the
VT340 can display up to 16 different shades or colors at a time. There are
4096 colors available to draw graphic images.</P>
<H3 ID="S0.2.2">Graphics Pages</H3>
<P>The terminal has two pages of bitmap memory for storing graphics. This manual
refers to those pages as graphics pages. Each graphics page is the same
size as the monitor's display area &#8211; 800 &times; 480 pixels.</P>
<P>If the terminal is running a single session, applications can draw to both pages.
If the terminal is running dual sessions, each session has one graphics page
available. See Volume 1, Chapter 14 of this manual for more details on session
management.</P>
<P>Each graphics page is associated with the first 24 lines on each of the first 2
text pages in page memory. Therefore, there is no second graphics page when
the page arrangement is set to 1 page of 144 lines.</P>
<H2 ID="S0.3">Three Graphics Protocols</H2>
<P>You can use one of three graphics protocols to draw images on the terminal:
ReGIS, Tektronix 4010/4014, and sixel. This manual describes how to use each
protocol.</P>
<TABLE CLASS="dpadded">
<TBODY>
<TR VALIGN="TOP">
<TH>ReGIS</TH>
<TD>ReGIS is a graphics instruction set from Digital. ReGIS
provides a set of commands you can use to draw images on
the screen. You can use ReGIS when the terminal is in
VT100 or VT300 operating mode. ReGIS provides a full
range of graphics capabilities and is compatible with
Digital's VT125 and VT240 terminals.</TD>
</TR>
<TR VALIGN="TOP">
<TH>4010/4014</TH>
<TD>The VT330 and VT340 have a special graphics mode that
lets you run software designed for the Tektronix 4010 or
4014 terminal.</TD>
</TR>
<TR VALIGN="TOP">
<TH>Sixel</TH>
<TD>A sixel is a vertical column of six pixels, representing part
of a graphics image. Sixel graphics are often used for designing
character fonts. Applications can send sixel data to
the terminal by using the device control string described in
<A HREF="chapter14.html">Chapter 14</A>. Volume 1, Chapter 5 describes how to downline-load
soft character sets.</TD>
</TR>
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</TABLE>
<H2 ID="S0.4">Locator Device (Mouse or Graphics Tablet)</H2>
<P>You can use Digital's VSXXX-AA mouse or VSXXX-AB graphics tablet with
the VT330 and VT340. The terminals are designed to work with these particular
locator devices. A locator device makes it easier to move the screen cursor
and send data to graphics applications. You can order the mouse or tablet from
Digital's Peripherals and Supplies Group. See <CITE>Installing and Using the VT330/VT340
Video Terminal</CITE> for ordering information.</P>
<H2 ID="S0.5">Conventions Used in this Manual</H2>
<UL>
<LI><P>This manual uses the term <STRONG>VT300</STRONG> when describing features common
to the VT330 and VT340 terminals. The text only refers to a specific
model when describing features unique to that model.</P></LI>
<LI><P>Notes and programming tips appear throughout this manual.</P>
<UL>
<LI>Notes provide general operating information.</LI>
<LI>Programming tips provide helpful suggestions to consider when writing applications.</LI>
</UL></LI>
<LI><P>Set-up features and keyboard keys appear in <B>bold</B> type.</P>
<P><EM>Examples</EM></P>
<P>Press the <B CLASS="keyname">Return</B> key.<BR>
Use the <B CLASS="feature">Clear Display</B> feature in the Set-Up Directory screen.</P></LI>
<LI><P>Characters used in control functions appear in <B>bold</B> type. Below each
character is a column/row number that indicates the character's position
in a standard code table.</P>
<P><EM>Example</EM></P>
<TABLE CLASS="codeseq">
<TBODY>
<TR>
<TH>ESC</TH>
<TH>#</TH>
<TH>6</TH>
<TD>&lt;&#8212;</TD>
<TD>Control function</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD>1/11</TD>
<TD>2/3</TD>
<TD>3/6</TD>
<TD>&lt;&#8212;</TD>
<TD>Column/row numbers</TD>
</TR>
</TBODY>
</TABLE></LI>
<LI><P>Glossary entries appear in italics when first used in text.</P>
<P><EM>Example</EM></P>
<P>The VT300 stores information in its <I>page memory</I>.</P></LI>
</UL>
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